It took three years, but Ashland University's women's soccer team flipped the script.
 
In 2023, Grand Valley State defeated the Eagles in the NCAA Division II playoffs, 1-0, at Ferguson Field. On Friday (Nov. 13), No. 15-ranked Ashland topped the Lakers, 1-0, at home in the first round of the D-II postseason thanks to a clean sheet and a second-half penalty kick goal from sophomore midfielder Cece Craig.

"If you suffer and suffer together, you'll get rewarded," said Ashland head coach Cayleb Paulino. "For us to draw the penalty and Cece to put it in the back of the net, we got rewarded.

"The amount of passes we completed wasn't great, but you saw the grit and determination at halftime. We challenged them, and we wanted to see the fight, and we came out and showed that."
 
The Eagles (15-3-3) will play at home in the NCAA second round on Sunday (Nov. 15) at 3 p.m. vs. Wayne State (13-2-5).
 
In the scoreless first half, the Lakers (11-5-5) took all seven shots, and two of the three corner kicks. Sophomore goalkeeper Izzy Ezzone made four saves to keep GVSU off the scoreboard.
 
But then, in the 76^th minute, Craig lined up for a penalty kick and connected for her third goal of the season on just AU's second shot of the contest. The PK was awarded following video review, which resulted in a called Laker handball in the box.

"We knew if we got a penalty in that moment, that kid is going to bury it for us," Paulino said.
 
Ezzone stopped a season-best seven shots on Friday for her ninth individual clean sheet of 2026, and the Eagles' 14^th shutout overall. Ezzone's top two save totals this fall have come against Grand Valley (six in the season-opener).
 
In a case of statistics not telling the entire story, the Lakers out-shot the Eagles, 13-3. Ashland had four corner kicks to GVSU's three.